Rabat – A total of 299 Moroccan women have passed the admission test to become public notaries (adoul), accounting for 38.37 percent of the passing candidates.

A statement from the Ministry of Justice announced on Saturday that 501 men passed the admission test, representing 62.62 percent.

King Mohammed VI announced in January an unprecedented decision to open the position of adoul to women candidates.

Of the 18,948 who took the test on May 6, 7,632 were women.

Public notaries in Morocco, similar to lawyers, typically handle the paperwork for a multitude of transactions, including the sale of property, marriage contracts, and commercial contracts.

Traditionally, the notary position was held by a religious man certified by Morocco’s government to document marriage papers and manage inheritance issues.

The tests were given in several regions across Morocco, including Rabat, Oujda, Marrakech, Agadir, Casablanca, Tangier, and Fez.

Following the decision of the King, the ministry announced that it would create up to 800 jobs for Moroccan men and women wishing to become public notary officials.

The ministry described the event as “historic,” adding that it is a new phase that “embodies the modernist democratic choice of the Kingdom, particularly in the promotion of women’s rights, the fight against all forms of discrimination and the strengthening of their position alongside men.”

The royal decree allows Moroccan women across the country to carry out several duties in accordance with the Islamic law (sharia), such as documenting witness testimony in courts and handling inheritance cases and real estate transactions.

Head of Government Saad Eddine El Othmani said during the Government Council that equality between men and women on economic, social, and political levels has become a national cause.

El Othmani also said that he wants to see women as decision-makers, abiding by the constitutional reforms of 2011 which emphasize equality between genders and the integration of women in different fields.

El Othmani invited everyone to be vigilant towards “caring for women in all parts of their lives, especially for [their] education, health, and social integration.”